Tonnage-regulator.



E. H. MESSITER. TONNAGE REGULATOR.

APPLIGATIQN FILED MAR. 22,1912. I 1,125,705. Patented Jan. 19, 1915. 12.9, 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

20 24 I N97 I I? if WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY nnwin n.

UNITED STA ES PATENT orrron.

MESSITER, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC WEIGHING- COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

TONNAGE-REGULATOBZ.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWaN H. Mnssrrns, a citizen of the United-States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of-Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tonnage-Regulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates toimprovements in a tonnage regulator or an apparatus for regulating the rate at which materials are carried over a conveyer, and more particularly in conjunction with means for continuously weighing material as it is being carried by a traveling belt conveyer, the total weight to be computed being determined by the speed of the belt as one of the factors and the weight of the material carried by the belt while passing a given point, as the other factor.

Accordingly, one feature of the invention contemplates the provision of means for automatically conveying a predetermined .weight of material continuously at a prein the drawings, Figure 1 is a view-in central vertical longitudinal section through a weighing machine constructed in accordance with my invention, showing diagrammatically-the means for controlling the feeding of the material to the conveyer. Fig. 2

is a diagrammatic View showing a modified form of controlling mechanism in which the pilot motor may be omitted. Fig. Bis a fragmentary view showing an arrangement for varying the load by varying the time element. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a manually actuated device for regulatingor changing the speed of themotor. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View showing a means for vary'ing'the distance apart of the fixed supports for the weighing part of the convey er to vary the weight of the load carried.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1922. SerialNo. 685,434. I

The travelingconveyer upon which the material to be-weighed is carried is here shown in the form of an endless conveyer belt 1Q, the upperrun of which is supported by suitable troughing pulleys 11--l2 and the lower run of which issupported by ordinary cylindrical idler drums orpulleys 14. The twotroughing pulleys l1 forthe upper runway of the belt are carried by a frame l6, and two of the lower idler pulleys 14 are similarly carried by a frame 1? at the same distance apart. The frames 16 and 17 are connected respectively by means of links 18 and 19- withweighing levers 20-21.- The connectionsof the-links 18--19 are upon opposite sides ofthe-fulcrums or points of sup port 22-of the weighing levers, whereby the two platforms will counterbalance. each other and the, empty belt portions will also he counterbalanced-.- This will leave only the weight of the material carried upon the active portion of the belt as tending to actuate the weighing lever. This method of counterbalancing is not claimed herein-but is ill l-istrated for the purpose of disclosing a completeoperativemachine. lit is specifically described and claimed in my Patent hlo. 998,9?etimued July 25,1911.

The two levers 20-21 are caused to bear the one upon the other at a central point 2%, and the lever 20 is provided with an extension 25 to the'end of which is pivotally connected a plunger 26. This plunger enters a mercury bath contained in a casing 27. The plunger 26 is loaded so as to be heavy enough to descend in the bath of-mercury the distance permitted by the tipping of said weighing levers or scale beams. The parts are so proportioned that the plunger 26 will be raised-or'lowered to an extent directly proportionate 'to the weight carried by the platform 16 in excess of that carried by the platform 17. v

The movement of theplunger 26 varies the position of the mercury surface and thereby varies the amount of current permitted to 'pass through an electrical meas-' uring instrument. This is done by inserting in the walls of the casing'27 anumber of. contact terminals'at varying heights,=each of said terminals being-connected through suitable wires 28 withthe various turns of a resistance coil 30. This resistance device is oecifically described and 1 claimed in my atentNh: magma issued January 9, 1912.-

resistance 30 is arranged in a circuit 32 fed by a generator 33 and also including an ampore-hour meter 34. The speed of the generator 33 is arranged to be proportionate to the speed of movement of the conveyer belt. A convenient methodof maintaining this proportion is to'connect said generator indriving relation with a pulley in engagement with the conveyer belt. In the arrangement of the circuit 32 as shown, the amount of current permitted to pass through the instrument 34 will be pro portionate, first to the speed of the generator 33, and second, inversely to the amount of resistance interposed in the circuit. As the speed of the generator is proportionate to the speed of the conveyer belt, and the amount of resistance 30 interposed is proportionate to the movement of the plunger 26, which movement is determined by the weight of the material as it passes a given point, it will thenfollow that the rate of movement of the armature of the instrument 34 at any moment will be exactly proportionate to the weight carried and the speed at which it is carried past agiven point at such moment.

The'meter may be, if desired, arranged to be actuated by a current from a constant voltage supply instead of by the current from generator33, in which case its rate of movement will depend only upon the weight of the load passing over'the conveyer belt.

The meter 34 is of well known construction having a rotary shaft. .Upon this shaft I have mounted a rotary disk 35 which is in- .closed within a casing 36 and arranged as it rotates to close intermittentlyan auxiliary circuit 40 inwhich is a battery 41. The construction of a meter which may be used to control this circuit is specifically described andclaimed in my copending application serially numbered 685,482 filed herewith. A registering device orcounter 42 may be interposed in circuit 40 if desired which is arranged to be operated by a magnet 43 and energized'whe'n said circuit is closed by the movement of the meter 34. Acoil 44 of a solenoid is also connected in the circuit 40 and operates on a core or plunger 45 which is slidably mounted at one end in asleeve 46, and yieldingly connected to said sleeve by a spring 47. A pawl 48 is pivotally mounted on the outer end of said sleeve and is held in engagement with a toothed sector 50 by a spring 49. As the shaft of the meter 34 rotates the circuit 40, is closed and the coil 44 energized, which energization draws the ated by a coil 56 in an auxiliary circuit 57,

.ance coils 81.

which also includes a battery, said circuit being arranged to be closed periodically by a time controlled device 58. The arrange ment of the devices in the circuits 40 and 57 is such that when the conveyer is carrying the desired load at the desired rate the coils 44 and 56 are energized periodically in such relation that their efiects on the con tact arm 52 counteract each other so that they cause only a slight oscillation of said arm, but not suflicient to effect the motor circuit to be hereinafter described. If more impulses are imparted to one coil than to the other the arm 52 will be moved to one side or the other accordingly.

The sector 50 is provided with two sets of teeth oppositely inclined, or two sectors may be mounted side by side for cooperation with the pawls 48, 54 respectively. The resilient connections shown between the magnet cores and the pawls may be provided for the purpose of preventing simultaneous or nearly simultaneous pulls on the two magnets having any effect upon the contact arm 52.

The material is fed to'the conveyer 10 in any suitable manner, a convenient means being shown as a hopper 60 having a plunger 61 reciprocated by a motor 62. The armature of the motor 62 is connected to conductors 63 and 64 of a circuit supplied from any suitable source of electrical energy. The motor 62 is provided witha shunt field 66 which is arranged to be varied by some means such for example as a pilot motor 68. This pilot motor has a shunt field coil 68 showing directly above it, and is connected by suitable gearing with a contact arm 69 which coiiperates with a resistance device 70. The field coil 66 is connected with the main 63 and its other terminal is connected .ance coils 77. The other side of said armature circuit is connected by a conductor 78 with an arcuate contact 79, and by a conductor 80 with one end of a series of resist- A contact 82 on the arm 52 cotiperates with the contacts 75 and 79, and is connected by a conductor 84 with the main conductor 64. A contact 86 on the arm 52 77 and 81, and is connected by a conductor 88 with the main conductor 63..

Should-the motor 62 feed the material fr0m thehopper 60 too fast, the weight upon the belt would be greater than desired and this would exert an increased pressure on the frame 16 with a corresponding movement of the scale beams 20, 21 and the extension 25 and plunger 26 would be moved to vary the resistance in the circuit32 to allow more current to pass through the latter. This would speed up the meter 34 and consequently operate the circuit controller in the casing 36 to increase the rate at which the circuit 40 is closed and coil 44 energized.

The pawl 48 would thereupon move the secthe material isfed onto the belt. On the other hand, if the material is being fed too slowly by the motor 62, the weight on the frame 16 will be reduced, and the extension 25 and plunger 26 will be raised, thus varying the resistance to reduce the amount of current flowing through the circuit 32. This would reduce the speed of the meter 34 and consequently the rate at which the impulses are'sent through the coil 44 in the circuit 40. The impulses sent throu h the 7 swing arm 69 more rapidly and will consecoil 56 in the circuit 57 would there ore be more rapid than those in the coil 44, and the sector 50 would be moved to swing the contact arm 52 to the right thereby closing the pilot motor armature circuit throu h the contact 79, and vary the resistances 7 and 70 to speed up the main motor62; W hen the weight of material fed onto the belt is restored to normal, the parts are returned to normal position. The resistances 77. and 81 are provided for the purpose of varyingthe speed ofthe pilot motor. .lif the arm 52 is moved but slightly to one side or the other the pilot motor will rotateslowly and thus affect the speed of motor 62 slowly. But if it is moved farther the pilot motor will quently change the speed of motor 62 more quickly and to a greater extent.

- ln-case the unbalancing should become exccssive so that it would be necessary to'stop the operation of the device, a safety device is provided to automatically open the feed circuit to the motors and also to sound an alarm. To accomplish this a pair of contacts 90, 91are provided, connected by a conductor 92 to one of the coils ofan electromagnet 93, the other of said coils being \connected by a conductor 94 to an electric bell. The bell 95 'is connected by a conductor 96 to one pole of a battery 97, the other pole of which is connected by a conductor 98 to a contact 99 on the arm 52. The magnet .93 is proided with anarmature 100'which'serves as a latch .for a switch 101 which-connects the leads 63 and 64 with the supply of energy for operating the motors. 'When ,the contact arm 52 is operated sufliciently to cause it to engage either of the contacts 90 91, the circuit through the magnet 93 is closed, thereby drawing the latch 100 out of en gagement with the switch 101, allowing the switch 101 to be opened by the spring 102 and the bell 95 is simultaneously caused to ring.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the pilot motor is omitted, thevariable resistance for the shunt field of the main motor being directly controlled by a contact arm operated by the magnets 44 and 56. These magnets cause the pawls 48 and 54 to operate on a sector 110 of a contact arm 112. The arm 112 carries a contact 114 adaptedto move \over and engage the contacts of a variable resistance 116. The contact-114 is connected by a conductor 118 to the con-- doctor 63 of the main circuit, and one end of the resistance-116 is connected by a conductor 120 to one end of the shunt field coil 66 of the motor 62,.the other end of said shunt field being connected to the conductor 64. The motor 62 operates on the plunger resistance of the shunt field circuit, by varying the rate of the impulses in one of the auxiliary circuits, or by varying the'distanee between the stationary supports of.

the portions or the conveyer, which pass over the platform 16 and 17 v The first method is shown in Fig. 4, m which the contact 114, carried by the arm 112 cooper-ates with a variable resistance 130. One end of the resistance 130 isconnected by a conductor 131 to a pivoted contact arm 132, which is provided with an index 133, and. is arranged to be moved manually over a variable resistance 134, one end of said res stance being connected to the shunt field coil 66. By manually moving the arm 132 the resistance of the shunt field coil circuit may be varied, and consequently the normal speed of the main motor 62 is thereby varied.

The second method is shown in Fig. 3, in which a circuit controlling device 140 is provided having a swinging pendulum 141 which can be adjusted to vary its rate of vibration. This pendulum is arranged to engage contacts 142,143 arranged in a circuit 144 which includes 'the coil 56. By varying the length of the pendulum 141, its rate of oscillation is varied, and conseqlpently the impulses in the circuit 144 t rough the coil 56 are accordingly varied, to vary its action on the sector 50.

The third method is shown in Fig. 5 inwhich the active upper portion of-the conveyer belt 10 is supported between pulleys the pulleys 150 and 151 are caused to apper preach the length of the active portion of the belt is reduced. Thus, a shorter portion of the belt will act upon the weighing mechanism and consequently the total weight carried by the belt in a given time will be increased. If the pulleys 150, 151 are drawn apart, a larger portion of the belt will act upon the weighing mechanism,

and the total load carried by the conveyer consequently decreased.

I have illustrated and described several modifications and embodiments of my invention to show that it is not limited to any specific form or construction. I

What I claim is 1. A conveyer, an electric circuit, means for proportioning the current in said circuit in acordance with the weight of the material being transported, and means controlled by said current for regulating the weight of material transported."

2. A conveyer, an electric circuit, means for proportioning'the current in said circuit in accordance with theweight of the material and the speed at which it is being transported, and means controlled by said current for regulating the Weight of inaterial transported, y

3. A conveyer, an electric circuit, means for proportioning the current in said circuit in accordance with the Weight of the material on the conveyer and the speed at which it is being transported,'and means automatically controlled by said current for maintaining a predeterminedrate of discharge of material from the conveyer.

4:. A conveyer, an electric circuit, a device arranged to be actuate'd'by a load on said conveyer and arranged to vary the current passing through said circuit in accordance with the weight of a moving load, and means controlled by said current for automatically regulating the rate of discharge of the material from the conveyer.

A conveyer,-an electric circuit, a device arranged to be actuated by'a load on said conveyer and arranged to proportion the current in said circuit in accordance with the weight of the material'an d the speed at which it is being'transported, and means controlled by said current for varying the load transported by said conveyer.

6. A conveyer adapted to receive a load, an electric circuit,me a ns operatively related to the conveying means for supplying a current to' said circuit, the said current having material to said conveying means comprising a motor, and means for automatically varying the speed of said motor by said weighing device.

8. A. conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load on said conveyer for weighing the load, an electric circuit, arranged to be varied by said Weighing device, means for feeding material to said conveying means, and means controlled by said circuit for regulating the operation of said feeding means. I Y

9. A conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load on said, conveyer for weighing the load, an electric circuit, means for proportioning the current in said circuit in accordance with the Weight of the material and the speed at which it .is being transported, and means for feeding material to said conveying means; a device controlled vary the rate of action of said feeding means, another circuit, a time element arranged to control said other circuit, and a second device in said other circuit arranged to vary the rate of action of the feeding means in opposition to the effect of said first rate varying device.

10. A belt conveyer, a weighing device in by the current in said circuit arranged to a section of the upper portion thereof and in a similar section of the lower portion thereof arranged to be acted upon by material carried by the conveyer over said sections of the conveyer, means for feeding material to said conveyer,,and means for automatically controlling the feeding means by said weighing device.

11. A belt conveyer, a weighing ,device in a section of the upper portion thereof and in a similar section of'the lower portion thereof arranged to be acted upon by material carried by the conveyer over said sections of the conveyer, means for feeding material'to said conveyer, a motor for actuating said feeding means, and means controlled by said weighing device for controlling the motor.

12. A conveyer, a device arranged to be actedupon by the load "on said conveyer as it passesa given point, means for feeding material to said conveying means, an electric motor for operating said feeding means, and means controlled by said device for varying the field of said motor to control its speed.

13. A conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load bn said conveyer, for continuous Weighing of the load, means for feeding material to said conveying means, an electric motor for operating said feeding means, a variable resistance in the field circuit of said motor, a pilot motor for varying said resistance, and means for controlling the operation of said pilot motor.

14:. A conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load on said conveyer for Weighing the load, a circuit, a resistance therein, a meter in said circuit arranged to intermittently close a secondary circuit, a

secondary circuit controlled by said meter,

means for feeding material to the conveying means, and means for controlling the speed of the feeding means, said controlling means being governed by variations in the rate of current impulses in said secondary circuit.

15. A conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load on said conveyer, mechanism for Weighing the load carried on a portion thereof, and means for varying the length of said portion.

16. A conveyer, a device arranged tobe operated upon by a load on said conveyer as it passes a given point, means forfeeding material to said conveyer, manual means for adjusting the sensitiveness of said de- "vice, an electric motor for operating'said feeding means, and means for varying the speed of said motor by said device.

17. A conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load on said conveyer as it passes a given point, means for feeding material to said conveyer, a motor operating said feeding means, adjustable clock mechanism adapted to vary the field and control the speed of said motor, means for adjusting the sensitiven'ess of said device, said mechanism and last mentioned means being in opposed relation to each other.

18. A conveyer, a Weighing device comprising means for Weighing the material carrying portion thereof, and means for so supporting an empty portion of the conveyer as to cause it to act counter to the material carrying portion, means for feeding material to said conveyer, a motor for actuating said feeding means, and means controlled by said Weighing device for controlling the motor.

19. A. conveyer, a device arranged to be voperated upon by a load on said conveyer as the load passes a given point, an electric circuit, a generator in said circuit arranged to be driven at a speed proportional to that of the conveyer, a rheostat in the circuit arrangedto be varied by said load operated device, mechanism for feeding material to said conveyer, and means controlled by the current in said circuit for varying the speed of the feeding mechanism.

20. A conveyer, a device arranged to be operated upon by a load on said conveyer for Weighing the load, a circuit, a resistance therein, a meter in said circuit arranged to intermittently close a secondary circuit, a secondary circuit controlled by "said meter, means for feeding material to the conveying means, and means for'controlling the speed of the feeding means, said controlling means being governed by variations in the rate of current. impulses in said secondary circuit and means controlled by said device for stopping the feeding means.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of March 1912 in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

- EDWIN n. MESSITER. 

